Peace of Hope Foundation Inc.

For more information visit: www.peaceofhopefoundation.com

October 10th is World Mental Health Day. It’s also the day a mental health advocate woke me up to struggles and realities greater than my own. It was after five and my long work day was finally over, so I headed to my car and made my way out of the parking lot. A minor struggle that afternoon centered around getting to my next location safely. The rain was coming down heavier than expected and rush hour traffic started to get thick. Eventually making it to my destination, I parked and went inside. Heavy rain and all, Starbucks would now serve as my home away from home, but they had croissants, so they got a pass. Shortly after my arrival, my plus one shows up and for the next three hours, it’s a judgment free discussion zone. Any other day, we would chit-chat about family, friends and everyday life, but today that norm is on pause as the cards have shifted to a more important focus. Not to keep you guessing any longer, but the Founder and Executive Director of Peace of Hope Foundation Inc., Tiffany Fox, took time out of her schedule to drop some much needed knowledge on life and how we react to it.

~PEACE~

A nurse by trade, Tiffany wasn’t too keen on the hospital setting. She made the jump to community nursing, where in this field she stumbled upon mental health. “I began to see that it was a preconceived notion. Most people are afraid of people when they hear mental health, but to help those people live day to day - it became a passion,” she explained. Assisting those living day to day with a mental illness meant teaching patients how to manage it, and also stepping on the outside to challenge the aspect of how outsiders viewed it. Each day was a learning experience for her, but the greatest vulnerability came when she recognized it wasn’t just her patients dealing with it. “I began to realize all of the mental health issues in my family,” TIffany recalled. And it wasn’t just limited to mental health, but substance abuse issues as well; and on both sides of her family. Dealing with this externally and internally, her vantage point changed with a focus to view mental health as a medical illness. This adopted mentality says we should look at the person rather than the diagnosis; this is how you view someone diagnosed with a “medical condition” right? Hearing that a loved one, co-worker, or even someone you don’t know was diagnosed with diabetes or cancer, we immediately become compassionate and concerned. Why not do the same for someone with a mental illness.

“Depression or mental health can affect your ability to keep a job,” advised Tiffany, but that’s not all. In addition, she noted it can affect your ability to keep housing, raise children, keep a job, and interact with others. Keep in mind a normal routine such as your hygiene may also be affected. The ability to resolve such setbacks is not as easy as it seems. “The initial barrier is them understanding they have a mental illness,” says Tiffany. To improve our chances of understanding how this is done, she told the story of a patient who was suicidal, and wasn’t taking her medication. The patient’s issue translated to the side effects and how it made her feel. Instead of dismissing the woman’s decision to discontinue her medication or even walking away, Tiffany took the moderate approach with meaningful conversation. “So I said, if I told you, you had diabetes would you take the medication?” The patient’s reply was,”yes.” “I said if I told you, you had cancer, would you take the medication?” Again her reply was, “yes.” Tiffany responded, “And so I said, what’s the difference?” Her last reply was, “I’m not sick.” Using years of mental health experience and sensitivity to this specific case, Tiffany furnished straightforward feedback to help the patient understand that she is sick; that her mind is still an organ, it’s just dysfunctional right now. “So medication is not always the key, the key is to first make them understand there is something wrong.” She outlined after telling this story that once they understand they have an illness, now they can talk about the treatment plan. One-on-one moments, such as the situation described, are a key reason why Tiffany started her non-profit, Peace of Hope Foundation Inc.

“With the non-profit, I was able to help the community more, and kind of make my own rules and regulations,” Tiffany revealed when describing the red tape from insurance companies, which prompted her to start a non-profit. “I’ve been in mental health for about fifteen years, and in that I discovered with insurance companies, there’s a lot of red tape. They tell you how long to treat and how you can treat.” Not believing that clients and patients should be at the mercy of insurance companies that don’t understand the process or recognize how long patients should truly be treated, Tiffany took matters into her own hand.

~OF~

Peace of Hope Foundation Inc, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization operating since 2013. Tiffany Fox is the Founder and Executive Director, and has committed her purpose to assisting the community through Peace of Hope’s primary focuses of: Intensive Case Management, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse. “What we do is link, arrange, and coordinate services for individuals in the community,” says Tiffany. Those services can fall under a vast range of aid such as: finding housing and jobs, mental and substance abuse treatment, and finally, utility and rental assistance. Peace of Hope Foundation operates in a way that caters to the specific needs of their clients and patients, so much so, you can literally see the difference when comparing their methods to that of insurance companies. To help give us more of a visual, Tiffany outlines some of those differences:

• Insurance companies may only allow 90-180 days for treatment. Peace of Hope has no time restriction for treatment. Previous clientele under Peace of Hope’s case management have lasted up to three years.

• Medicaid may mandate that accepting federal funds negates the use of adding spirituality, religion, and the church to the mix. Peace of Hope includes spirituality and accepts all persons and their beliefs.

• Medicaid may dictate what the treatment plan looks like; whereas, Peace of Hope does not.

• The state of North Carolina no longer pays for case management. “Therapist aren’t case managers. You can’t go to your therapy appointment and say do you know anybody who can pay my bills?,” says Tiffany. A question like this is built for a case manager to handle. Because of the need, Peace of Hope went full throttle with their start-up.

In terms of Peace of Hope’s case management policy, it can either be short-term or long-term. When we say short-term, it could be a matter of finding assistance to pay a utility bill or searching for a doctor that accepts a particular type of insurance. For long-term case management, Peace of Hope Foundation Inc. partners with the Salvation Army. This partnership allows clients/patients coming from shelters to be placed in a housing program and receive required case management. Some of the positives with this type of case management include: budgeting tips, utility bill assistance, housing checks, and talks with housing management or landlords. Typically the longer term case management aren’t folks who are homeless because they can’t pay their bills. As Tiffany explained to me, it’s a whole big sector of how these clients/patients think about life and their mental health. Sometimes it takes years to work with them and help get them back on track, but Tiffany and Peace of Hope are fully dedicated to seeing it through.

Additional segments that fall under Peace of Hope include: R.A.K.S (Random Acts of Kindness), Thanksgiving and Christmas drives, and lastly a socks/hats/scarf drive for the homeless. Just recently Peace of Hope added Voice of Hope which brings mental health/substance abuse education and awareness via speaking engagements and written publications.

~HOPE~

“The goal is independence, the goal is not for us to hold your hand.” Tiffany made this crystal clear as she expounded upon a client where she missed that he dealt with substance abuse. He was currently under the long-term case management plan (home budgets and all), but his money was slipping away to support a habit he had since the eighties. He masked his drug habit so well that Tiffany never caught it. And so as we talked about it and Tiffany expressed her human emotion of pain in the fact she missed it, my question to her revolved around how long would she continue assisting him. Her reply to me was short and sweet, “however long it takes.” She could make such a bold statement with confidence because she understands the key to it all - building relationships. “The key is to treat these people as people and build relationships,” she noted.

Tiffany addresses a crowd on the topic of Mental Health.

As our discussion ended, we talked about the future of Peace of Hope Foundation. “I would love for Peace of Hope Foundation Inc. to become a Federal Qualified Healthcare (F.Q.H.C.) - and it’s a one stop shop,” Tiffany stated before continuing with the rest. “I would love POH to have a transitional home for the homeless; HIV home for clients with HIV/AIDS; and a home for veterans.” She also wants to open an urgent care, and lastly expand her platform for mental health awareness to larger audiences.

“I’m thankful to have hope and to instill hope in others.” These are the inspirational words Tiffany left me with as we prepared to gather our belongings and leave. I learned way more than I expected, but I’m also thankful for people like Tiffany and Peace of Hope Foundation Inc. It doesn’t take a special person to carry out a mission such as this, it takes a passionate person to execute it; and that’s what Tiffany is - passionate about bringing peace, and faithful enough to hope.

Story by C. Williams

IG - @peoplepublicis @troosmag

For more information, please visit www.peaceofhopefoundation.com

Peace of Hope Foundation Inc. 

121 S Elm St Ste. 2 Greensboro, NC 27401

peaceofhopefoundationadm@gmail.com

uniKorn chique: Fabulously Made In His Image

The notion of what beauty really is has become distorted. I’ve seen, heard and read intense debates, which in this lifetime, have crowned no winner ever on what true beauty is and represents. Unbeknownst of the beginnings, ever since my childhood, there’s been an expectation or standard of beauty, which if we’re all truthful, none of us fit. Where do I begin? To name a few: straightened long hair is a wow; a perfect made-up face is flawless and recommended; expensive clothes and shoes bring out the inner fashionista; and the last expectation wreaks with unbalanced thinking. The inevitable theory surrounding size is never-ending. There has yet to be any burden of proof that one size is better than the other. As you read this, put aside the medical findings stating fat is unhealthy or skin and bones is unhealthy. That’s a totally separate topic. What about the thick person with a clean bill of health or even the skinny model with a clean bill of health? God simply constructed you and I in his image and likeness; but man entertains an ideal that if it doesn’t appeal to the masses, it should be changed.

For today’s glamour spotlight and written piece, let’s surrender the idea that #allsizematters. Small, thick, slim, curvy, natural, face made-up or without make-up, natural hair or relaxed; it’s not a quick fix to be totally comfortable with perceived flaws. Catch what I’m saying here. What we deem as flaws, is perception only. The commemoration of those who take what they have and turn it into a plus is needed. You’re telling God, hey you, thank you for creating me. Don’t change a thing. No matter how long; even if the inner you experiences some sort of inner drought, and you can’t give it your all, do like Kala Slade did and simply find a way to get there.

It lasted eleven years…

Fashion magazines, tv advertisements and people weren’t primarily the cause, but in Kala’s case, the subliminal belief was there.

“I no longer knew what to do with myself in terms of style,” recalled Kala, explaining the cause of an unwelcome fashion drought early in life. At age 21, the circle of life presented its cause and effect, and her baby girl soon entered the world. But once the size 7/8 skinny-all-her-life fashion diva gave birth, there was a noticeable change, and it didn’t sit well. Being in love with a newborn was the only thing giving Kala googly eyes, because having pregnancy weight proved to be difficult and abnormal. “Being plus size was not always something I knew about,” she chimed in.

Before the pregnancy, creative art and fashion were not only Kala’s talent, but a gift bestowed to her from God. “I use to take shoeboxes and turn them into a whole apartment for my Barbies.” As for her style in fashion, she had that touch of picking the right colors and materials to construct the right look. Every item of clothing worn adorned her petite shape to precision, creating an added incentive; a feeling of flyness – it means dope, looking good and the ultimate description - fresh. Life was good, her sense of style was on a high, her Barbie dolls were living the plush shoebox life, and the fashion fairies were constantly giving Kala a stamp of approval.

And then baby Kiana was born……

Post pregnancy, an enigmatic awareness was now more present than ever. You know the feeling when you buy a new car, and suddenly you start to see your car model everywhere. For Kala, it was the opposite. The demand for plus size clothing was her main agenda, but the supply; in her case, the stylish supply was at an all-time low. The time span was the nineties, a time where plus size and contemporary fashion did not cohabitate in the same sentence. Growing up in Greensboro, the only accessible stores were Added Dimension and Katherines, and as Kala explained it, the choices were limited and the material print hideous, “…..like big flowers, in a big tent dress….come on, that just makes you look….bigger.”

The bad prints, lack of stores, and curvaceous attributes had to go – but in reality Kala’s mind had to adjust and strategize to a realism that was now her truth.

For eleven years, she hid rolls and “fluff” by wearing jeans and big t-shirts. Accessories were non-existent, and at the salon, a smock accompanied her “frumpy look”, but the comeback was better than ever. At age thirty-two, the world Kala lived in was a different place. Technology was rampant and ever changing, women were making large types of moves and accomplishments, and contemporary fashion looks were being carried in plus size stores. The changing of times signaled her to branch out and get her cuteness back. The truce was finalized; she never wanted to be skinny again, but even with a look categorizing her as curvaceous or thick, an intentional settlement was reached to maintain a healthier lifestyle.

The comeback begins….

In this instance, a peaceful truce (troos) didn’t necessarily negate challenges, it just makes the devil busier. And busy he became. She’d conquered something that held her down for some time, and when she finally settled on a peaceful content, the next challenge deepened. All her life, Kala had wrestled with depression, but in a world where mental unbalance is taboo, she never thought to believe that her saddened mind was just that. The church she’d been attending was hosting sixty-days of health, and invited medical professionals to speak on their topic of knowledge. On this day, the invited speaker began discussing the signs of depression, and that’s when it finally clicked. This is what she’d been dealing with her entire life. Skinny and fashionable back then, and now curvaceous and fashionable; Kala realized, even though she possessed a gift and talent that she loved, she’d always dealt with the yo-yo of her emotions. Just recently, in these past four years, battling depression became a bit rough, and she needed a safe place and picker upper to just deal.

Kala always dreamed of using her fashion and cosmetology gifts to serve on someone’s Glam Team; preparing models for fashion shows or celebrities for an artsy magazine shoot, but never did Kala Slade think a Glam Team would cater to her. Thanks to Kenyatta Johnson’s I Rock My Curves, she was able to find that safe place. Joining a group which promoted being comfortable in your skin, and having an added plus where all the participants were thick and curvaceous, didn’t cure her depression, but it allowed baby steps in dealing with it. “It gave me a place where I fit in because everyone else looked like me,” described Kala. One annual production put on by the group, is a yearly fashion show. This opportunity alone birthed a newness into Kala and expanded her resume from hair stylist now into plus size model. And as the group prepared for the show, Kala was able to learn a variety of new skills: good posture, walking straight, and giving the audience the perfect face. Taking all the attributes learned and rolling them into one, an introverted Kala with the quiet voice and top-notch fashion sense, sashayed over to the runway becoming Koko - an extrovert with a fierce walk.

Kala meet Koko, Koko meet Kala…….#uniKornchick

“It’s kind of like an escape from your everyday,” she describes when talking about Koko. As soon as Koko hits the runway, audience members, family and friends are wowed by how her gentle demeanor demands such engaging attention. And to top it off, by the time she was thirty-nine, she was fully gray. Kala used the lemons presented and made lemonade; a hair stylist by trade she colored the front of her hair hot pink, setting off a trendy look. It was a message said loud and clear, “If you want me, this is what you get.” No such statement means to serve as directional shade (to anyone in particular), but she has to demand this kind of respect since folks left and right are giving her advice on the requirements of modeling agencies to join. The pink hair has to go, she’s been advised, but her theory on not changing it is simple, “At that point, I blend in with everyone else.” And if no agency will accept, so shall it be. Independent it is.

Can’t you see a brand new day…… - The Wiz

Kala a.k.a. Koko, the runway queen, has been blessed with so many opportunities, stemming from a sound decision to own her truth. A journey to freedom by way of I Rock My Curves steered her from one opportunity to the next. She’s walked the runway for Curvy Fashionista in Atlanta and District of Curves in Washington, D.C. She’s participated in fashion events here in Greensboro, NC, and although not selected just yet; she’s auditioned two consecutive years faithfully to walk in New York’s Plus Size Fashion Week. Cheerfully, we announce, this is her first publication as a featured cover story. Her public platform is encouraging women to love themselves and make no excuse for who they are, and she has no plans to stop anytime soon.

It’s befitting that Kala starts our Glam issue out with a bang. Her story serves as an encouragement to take what God gave you, and uniquely be you. It’s ok if there is no instant satisfaction, just build yourself up to work on the little things and when you’re ready to attack that which holds you down, keep going until you defeat the negative way you view yourself. You are loved, respected and life is worth living.

Troos Mag salutes you Kala Slade. You’re our perfect UniKorn chick!

IG - @unikorn_chick

Story by C. Williams

IG - @Troosmag & @Peoplepublicis

UNEQUIVOCAL - The Unshakeable Assurance That She Can Win Now.

Jasmine and Governor Wolf participate on a panel discussion about gerrymandering.

Demonstrated far more in life than reversed, we’ve heard and seen the classic old school tale of how the Indian eventually became the Chief. A modeled visualization encouraging one to follow before you lead, and if at anytime, the urge to resist or rebel surfaced, many experienced a gentle reminder. Profoundly proverbial in its own class, the mere mention of “too many Chiefs, not enough Indians” had an understated greater impact then and somehow brought you in line. Stained by the happenstance of modern day America, there’s a new tune being sung. Current day-to-day operations provide those of us who are the followers (Indians), with all we need: supplies, skills, work overload and training, but our lack and shortage falls specifically with the head. Shortcomings surrounding the growth and development of businesses, schools, churches and more importantly - people - aren’t due to a shortage of managers or chiefs, but a centralized issue revolving around one involuntary attribute – fair and quality leadership.

“If you are only governing from one lens, and you don’t have anybody with a different opposing view, then you will only get one way of government...” Jasmine S.

The America I want to envision is grounded in fair and quality leadership; better yet, we are the prized poster child for civilized democracy. I know what you’re thinking, Houston she has a problem and it mirrors tasteless naiveté. Having witnessed only six presidents, and quite frankly, being alert for three, for the first time in my conscious political existence, I am speechless. Not because our Chief is temporarily failing us in slow motion, but because his constituents -influential heavy hitter type leaders - are negligent on purpose, turning a blind eye to all sorts of citizen violations: small, large, unethical, immoral, right and wrong; to avoid conflict and the appearance of chaos under the same political roof. It’s a Capitolized Hill, you get it yet? And one shouldn’t limit it to just our federal government, as we can also focus our attention to elected officials in local governments and neighborhoods. Locations include courtrooms, classrooms, PTA meetings, churches and neighborhood rec centers. It’s a majority no one will speak of, male dominated and single raced - the loud elephant in the room. Everyone sees and hears it, but no one will address it. So we surrender quietly to our homes, adhering to rules designed to benefit the Chiefs and frustrate the Indians. It leaves plenty room for side-eyes, questions and complaints, which generally speaking, says options are far and few between. It makes plenty of sense and sounds good, but are we justified in how we feel or just too lazy to do the right thing? There are no rules preventing change in leadership, but the change starts with a choice. What do we really want and who knows what we really need?

“We just want women engaged in the civic process.” - Jasmine S.

Most would agree, Saturday mornings are made for sleeping in, but this particular weekend was all about sacrifice. I passed over the idea of a full eight hour pillow and sheets affair, because the tea around town suggested a top-forty-under-forty, Jasmine Sessoms, is spearheading quality leadership in a new direction and look. A Philadelphia, PA native, and event fundraising guru extraordinaire, CEO and founder, Jasmine S. joined my early Saturday morning phone party, furnishing detailed analyses of why her non-profit organization, She Can Win Now, aims to train and equip women – a specific focus with minority women - eager to engage in the civic process. Engagement in the civic process involves contributing to the community to make it a better place to live. In Jasmine’s words, “that means you are civically engaged.” One may describe it as a brave-hearted undertaking for minority women aiming to become the next governor, city council member, PTA President, and the list goes on, but the need for a diverse community and government is a must. A barrier filled task to procure, Jasmine understood this process wouldn’t be easy, but witnessing more cons than pros in the civic arena ignited a desire worth more than a high paying nine-to-five.

Jasmine’s beginnings take us back to Center City, where she served as Director of The City of Philadelphia’s non-profit organization. Under the leadership of former Mayor Michael A. Nutter, Jasmine exposed herself to a different type of corporate normality. Having successfully conquered the conservative sector, serving previously as head of Corporate Social Responsibility for a Republican based insurance company, working for the city would prove to be an eye-opening uneven playing field. Not for Jasmine per se, but for what she represented – a woman in America. The bigger picture – a black woman in America. Yes Philadelphia’s 98th mayor represented minority leadership, but, Jasmine’s weekly entrance into public council meetings left a questionable riddle to be solved. An encountered experience introducing severe misrepresentation of all sorts. You see, a room of men discussing and resolving issues affecting the city, with the unbounded audacity - oddly enough - to cover an agenda focusing on women’s rights and issues; no women around or in plain sight view to get an opinion, expression and more importantly – a vote. How can a group of men tell women about planned parenthood or reproductive rights? This it-was-all-a-dream Biggie Smalls dramatic type scenario, not only played out during a city council meeting, but existed in the state house as well. It was no dream for Jasmine, only a frightful appearance eventually becoming her weekly commonality. The mental red flag was present prompting Jasmine to seize an opportunity, researching why, ironically, this specific civic arena was male dominated. Coincidentally, working on a research project during her tenure with the city, she asked a small number of female elected officials why women aren’t running. The astounding responses insinuated Jasmine probably lived on another planet, oblivious to the current state of affairs. Animated feedback such as, “Who the hell would want to run?” and “I got in by the grace of God.”, were direct truths of current elected officials serving the people; and these same women believed there is too much difficulty getting a foot in the door as a momma, sister, daughter and aunt; issues ranging from fundraising, to not knowing the political process, or to just not being the right dash of color. As solemn as it sounds, their belief centered around hopeful, yet frozen-to-act women avoiding drama and settling with what was the permissible thing to do: volunteer, watch from afar, and assist in campaigns.

“That’s when it clicked to me, when women run, they win” - Jasmine S.

Jasmine speaks at an event, advocating for women to run for office (election).

I’ve always heard the saying, “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”, but what’s the solution when it’s broke and affecting thousands of lives? Knowing she had expertise in politics, Jasmine immersed herself in the idea of training and equipping minority women to run. It required help from politically connected friends, combined with data driven research to understand the setbacks and hesitation to campaign. The results were mind blowing to me, but for Jasmine it was enough to ignite a spark and take baby steps toward change. Her findings concluded first, that taking on any sort of civic responsibility would affect a single or two person income home. Campaigning is like a full-time job and generally requires you to take a leave of absence from current employment responsibilities. That alone is almost a deal breaker as some or most minority homes can’t afford to lose that income. Next up, there is the issue of fundraising or soliciting campaign funds from donors and businesses. Funds need to be available to pay for advertisement, marketing materials, travel, staff and so on; and most times, it’s not too affordable on your own. Donors for female campaigners (minorities at that) are routinely smaller than that of male campaigners; research numbers setting the gap around forty-five percent. And the most disturbing yet believable discovery is the lack of corporate support for minority female candidates. “It’s not because we aren’t as smart, viable, or we can’t win, it’s... that’s just the way it is. Union corporations will invest in a white male before they’ll invest in an African-American woman, even though she’s representing an African-American district. It’s just the way it is,” Jasmine detailed. Ouch. Lastly, not to sound sexist, but women don’t generally know what it means to be selfish. They are sometimes the head of the household. Campaigning in the civic arena requires the focus to be on oneself, and most minority women are caretakers of some sort. They are picking up children from school, taking care of parents, being a wife, organizing a school fundraiser and maintaining a presence in their place of worship. To sacrifice the care of others requires potential candidates to surround themselves in a village like community. It’s a synchronized experience, while you campaign, the village is picking up where you left off. Candidates have to also do their part in expressing an honest interest to run and what they need from their village. Impractical at best, it’s the key to formalized success.

Data compiled, friends in tow, and a driven spirit ready for action, Jasmine began to challenge the status quo. She conducted a small pilot involving women with a desire to campaign. Six total women involved, two women ran and two won. One candidate even ran against her political party - as she did not win the primary selection process - so Jazz and company strategized a different campaign as an independent party, and they won. The realization surfaced, barriers or no barriers, when women run, they win. So the start of bootcamp training and online classes birthed. She Can Win Now’s bootcamp is designed for the woman whose civic or political interest is somewhat piqued and needs a general overview to help them make a decision. The nine module training is a nine week intensive process covering the political or civic office you’re running for, logistics plus district formulas, and finally a campaign plan to send you off with a comfort in knowing you have a solid strategy. Lastly, they offer one-on-one training. Sometimes when candidates aren’t familiar with all the specifics, Jasmine and staff will sit down face-to-face to address any concerns with the campaign process and help put that specific candidate at ease. To date, She Can Win Now has crossed paths with 400 women, and there are no plans to stop. Jasmine believes, if the civic and political support for women continues to increase, women will continue to win. Since the success of her pilot, and non-profit start-up, Jasmine recalls the recent memory of nine women who utilized She Can Win Now during their campaign launch. They all expressed similar sentiments; tapping into the resources available from She Can Win Now was just plain ole the right thing to do. Their success was a direct result of demonstrative fair and quality leadership echoed from She Can Win Now. As tired as Jasmine is sometimes, hearing such feedback, undeniably is worth it.

If our fearless and diligent leadership example, Jasmine Sessoms, could leave our readers with a word of advice, she will have you to know three things. The first is to be unequivocally good. As African-American women, when assertive, we stereotypically come off as having an attitude. It, by no means confirms this is the official character trait of the black woman, but sometimes such character traits can be mistaken for aggression or attitude. By no means is this right, but it’s life. Even if your constitutional right of assertive behavior is questioned, knowing that the work you do is polished, honest, correct and presentable, no one can take away the fact that you are unequivocally good. They may talk about you behind your back, but guess what, the clients and employers will continue to call.

Jasmine talking to students at CAPA High School, about the importance of civic engagement.

Next, have a succession plan. Jasmine hipped me to the fact that in minority political communities, we don’t ask ourselves, who is our next mayor or governor when we already have one in place. We sort of wait until last minute, and then we scramble. At this point it’s too late and we’ve lost political power. We should strive for history-in-the-making type legacy or continuation of fair and quality leadership. To make this happen current leaders must not only run your palace, but train the next prince or princess while doing so.

Lastly: contribute, volunteer, share the message on social media, and vote when women are stepping up to the campaign process. There's nothing like being inspired by a female Presidential candidate, but then sitting home on Election Day due to unknown reasons.

Because, where there is one leader stepping up, there are two watching, and when the two begin to watch, three are soon to come. We salute you Jasmine Sessoms for bringing to the light that She Can Win; not tomorrow and not next year, but She Can Win NOW.

XOXO - PP

Inspirational Figures

Watson Sisters - Rev. Dr. Dorothy T., Yvonne G., Barbara W., Dr. Cassandra J., Paulette W.

Shirley Chisholm - Before Hillary, there was Shirley.

Watchlist

1. Stacie Abrams - Candidate for Governor of Georgia.

2. Lauren Underwood - Candidate for Congress (Illinois).

3. Kamala Harris - U.S. Senator (California)

Follow Jasmine and She Can Win Now at:

1. www.shecanwin.net

2. IG - @shecanwinnow

3. FB - She Can Win

Jasmine Sessoms, CEO and Founder of She Can Win Now!